COLOMBO – Shahid Afridi took four wickets and Misbah-ul-Haq notched a second successive half century as Pakistan upstaged Sri Lanka in a highly-charged World Cup Group A match by 11 runs on Saturday. Afridi, who became the 11th player to take 300 wickets in ODIs, finished with 4-34 to help Pakistan defend a 278-run target, as they restricted Sri Lanka to 266-9 in 50 overs for their second win in the tournament. Afridi, who recorded Pakistan’s best bowling figures of 5-16 in all World Cup matches in the 305-run win against Kenya, completed his 300-wicket career landmark in his 314th match by dismissing Kumar Sangakkara for 49.
Chamara Silva, who made a 78-ball 57, gave Pakistan a scare with a 40-run stand with Angelo Mathews (18) before the 1992 champions held their nerve to win. The win gave Pakistan four points from two matches and top spot in the table. At a ground which traditionally favours the team batting first, Sri Lanka failed to better the highest run-chase here, registered by India when they chased 270 against England in the 2002 Champions Trophy. It was 30-year-old Afridi who kept Pakistan on track by bowling dangerous opener Tillakaratne Dilshan (41) and Sangakkara before having Thilan Samaraweera (one) stumped and Mathews caught in the deep.
Pakistan could have finished the match earlier had wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal not missed stumping Sangakkara on two occasions off spinner Abdur Rehman while Rehman also dropped a simple chance off Silva. Sri Lanka had raced to 76 without loss by the 15th over before losing four wickets in the space of 20 runs.
Pakistan were earlier set on course for a big total by in-form Misbah-ul-Haq, who finished with an unbeaten 83 and Younis Khan (72) who added 108 during a fourth-wicket stand of 108. With Pakistan looking set for a 300-plus total, Sri Lanka’s bowlers, especially Muttiah Muralitharan, kept a tight line and length, only allowing Pakistan 36 runs in the five-over batting power-play.
The wily off-spinner, who finished with 1-35 off his 10 overs, conceded just five runs in his two overs with only three fielders outside the circle. Misbah hit six boundaries during his 91-ball knock.
